Staying Alive: A Light in The Dark
by TannerRae
Summary: I didn't see it coming, Falling in love in the midst of the apocalypse, killing family for people I care for it all seemed surreal. But everything that I had tried so hard to protect had fallen apart, Isaac was dead and finding Lily and Shane is all I have keeping me going. I wasn't about to stop and neither was the one person who knew to much.(part 2)
1. One Night

_**Seven months later **_

The last time I had closed my eyes I had been sitting in the woods, tired, warn and hungry, the sounds of the dead growing closer as I accepted my fate. My legs took me in slow stumbles before I fell to my knees gasping for air. My body was giving in on me. I dragged myself to a nearby tree stump and gave in to the weakness that had been dragging me down.

My mind urged me to keep moving forward, to not stop looking for Lily and Shane. I needed to keep moving, I had to stay alive. I pulled myself up, the world spun around me, everything was a blur. But there was an approaching figure, a walker? A survivor? I couldn't tell. Everything went black.

XXXXXX

"She appears to be okay, extremely malnourished, dehydrated and I'm she is in shock, but who isn't when they come back from the outside …" A voice came to me, even in the darkness, an unfamiliar one. The dead can't talk, they groan, they slur, I was imagining it. I could feel my eyes flutter, trying to open, "Looks like she's coming to,"

"Pey," Another voice, a familiar voice, "Peyton can you hear me?"

"Mason…?" My voice was hoarse, my throat was sore. I was only getting bits and pieces of the room I was in, it was a white room, and two dark silhouettes hovered over me. A large sigh came from one; I could feel fingers pushing my hair off of my face.

"Hey shithead," his voice came softly to me in a somewhat jokingly manner.

I was really dead wasn't I? Mason sitting there calling me what he used to when I was young. The edges of my lips twitched with the slightest smirk. "Moron," I managed to get out, it was so raspy it was almost inaudible.

"Peyton, open your eyes and drink some water." He was concerned now.

It was silent for a minute and I ever so slightly opened my eyes. Mason hovered over me, his dark hair was shaggy and his eyes were a chocolate brown just like mine. He'd never looked like Brent and I, he had a different father but he was more of a brother than Brent dreamed of being. I could feel the water hitting my lips and I took it in, it almost hurt to swallow at first and then it was smooth, when the cup was empty I longed for more. I touched his face, I could feel the stubble on his chin, he was real. I jumped up and the world had spun around me.

"I have to find Shane…and Lily…" I probably looked like I had stepped out of the Looney bin as I jumped up in a panic. Everything I was thinking before, in the woods, I was wrong and distraught. I had to get back to them, I had to find them.

"You've said that a million of times, and you're not going anywhere right now so lay down." Mason replied.

There was a woman, she was dressed like a doctor, and was fixed on something else on the other side of the room. I hopped off the bed and started for the door, my feeble legs hadn't taken me very far before I had nearly slipped. I kept going; I opened the door and made my way outside into the blinding sunlight. I could hear Mason behind me and a tall man with warn blue eyes and a smirk on his stubbly face stood in front of me. I looked around, people walked freely down the streets, they seemed careless and worried free, I couldn't make sense of it.

"You must be Peyton," I opened my mouth to say something but instantly he had continued, "You're probably wondering what this place is. They call me governor, your brother has been a true asset to this town, it's a remarkable thing to have found you alive." His words didn't meet his eyes, like didn't care whether or not I was found. I was curious about this place but I didn't care because I wouldn't be spending much longer there.

"It doesn't matter, I'm leaving…" I told him as I continued to walk down the street.

Mason caught up and stopped me by blocking my path, "We found you half dead with a bunch of wanderers and now you want to go back out there?!"

"Lily is out there Mason and someone that I love; I'm going to find them."

"You won't make it."

"Well, at least I'll die trying."

"I can't lose you!" He looked desperate, "Mom…"

Mason went looking for us, It was crazy to think that he was standing in front of me, I should be grateful that he made it so far, but all I could think about was Shane and Lily.

"I know." I sighed, "I found her…"

"I buried her and I thought you were dead too, that's why you have to stay with me, so I can keep you safe, you're all the family I have left."

"And Lily, who is out there…"

"Who you _think _is out there, you're not thinking straight."

"Shut up," I snapped, "I don't care what anyone says, I'm going."

He frowned, his brows pulled together, "At least give yourself one night to get better, then _we_ will go look for them, I'll have to pull some strings but at least if I go…"

"I can't ask that of you."

"I'm telling you, that's what I'm going to do. I can't let you go on your own." He said, "You know you really are a little shit."

"And you're seriously a moron for doing this for me, but I appreciate it." I told him and before I knew it I was wrapped into a major bear hug. I didn't hug back with the full force he did, I didn't have it in me, I couldn't even work up a smile, "One night."

I glanced back at the governor guy, whose eyes seemed to be piercing into my back. What was his problem? I returned it and then turned back to my brother.


	2. Hope

(Hey everyone! I'm back! Just moved into my first apartment! Took a while for me to get internet and all that fun stuff, but we got it! And I've got tons of writing to do. ;p)

Masons eyes watched me intently as I stuffed my face of rolls and potatoes, I gulped down the rest of the water I had and then looked at my brother who grinned at me. "Never knew how much I took these things for granted." I said with a mouth full.

"You were always the skinny fat kid," He said teasingly.

I smacked him with the back of my hand playfully, he chuckled halfheartedly and I could feel the faint welt of laughter in my chest, but I just couldn't. He rubbed his stubbly chin and drifted off into though, I knew because his eyes always squinted when he did, his lips still pulled up in a smirk at the edges.

"What?" I said unfazed as I pulled at the loose strand of string on the edge of the white blanket.

"I just honestly can't believe your alive…I mean, us Chases…we always had a way of finding each other, but damn."

"Even when we don't want to be found," I verbally-vomited, obviously talking about Brent, I quickly rephrased my sentence…"I mean, I could be out there looking for Lily and Shane right now." I wasn't ready to tell him about Brent, I don't think I would ever be able to.

Mason frowned, "You'd be dead."

"You seem to doubt me so much, yet I've made it this far."

"Hardly," He scoffed. There was a brief heavy silence and as soon as Mason parted his lips I knew what he was going to say, I already began shaking my head… "Peyton stay here."

"No...And the more you hound me the faster I'm getting out of dodge."

"This is a good place…You're safe here."

"I'm going and I'm not having this conversation again." I snapped and got off the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"To get some air," I replied.

I stepped out into the warm sunlight and took a good look around. A little ways down the street were a few people gardening. People carried on about their day, some even greeting me as I walked slowly down the block. It did seem like a very safe and pleasant place which made me all the more eager to find Lily and Shane. Lily would love it here, even if it were just for a little while.

"I assume I caught you at a bad time earlier today." The governor stated as he caught up to me.

I ran my fingers through my long red hair and turned to him, "Uh, Yeah. Sorry, I'm Peyton Chase." I put out my hand and he shook it. "It's nice to meet you, and this town you got going on here is truly amazing considering the circumstances."

"Thank you. We're trying to gain as much normality as possible… Mason tells me you want to leave…"

"I want to find my niece…we got separated, ever since this broke out I've taken her in as my own, her and my nephew…" My voice grew hoarse by the end of my sentence, the very thought of Isaac sent images running through my mind, and as if it were just yesterday, the unbearable pain in my chest.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Oddly he seemed understanding in a very stand offish way. Was I that easy to read? I didn't know how to reply, my wounds were still too fresh.

I nodded, shifting my weight to one side and crossing my arms over my chest uncomfortably.

"You really shouldn't let mason go with me, I know it's pretty much a suicide mission." I stated as we walked back to my assigned room. "I heard you guys were heading out for supplies anyways."

He nodded, "I have a few of my other men going with me, you'll need your brother and though I do run things around here I don't think he would settle for no as an answer, I know I wouldn't if you were my brother."

"You had a brother?"

He shook his head as if he made a mistake, "I meant if I had a little brother or sister like you, metaphorically speaking of course."

I didn't question him, although I did think the way he said was odd. Maybe he did have a brother and just didn't want to talk about it, like how I didn't want to talk about Isaac.

"Well I still think it's crazy for you to risk on of your best men."

He tilted his head the side as we approached my door, "You really don't want him to go."

"I don't want his death to fall into my hands." I replied, "It's not that I don't think Mason could make it, it's the what-ifs."

"Mason has undergone a lot more dangerous missions; I assure you he will be just fine." The governor said.

I frowned and nodded, well getting Mason to stay due to orders of the governor plan didn't work.

The rest of the night I stay hidden in my room. Though I knew I was safe, I still felt the fear of closing my eyes. I wasn't at ease at all and sometimes I wondered if I ever would be. When I closed my eyes I was haunted by night terrors of months passed. One of them stood out the most…

_I hid in the cab of the pickup truck trying to hot wire while, Ana's restless corpse banged on the window. I gave my all not to cry as the body of who once was my best friend had groaned for a piece of my flesh. Were they all dead? I wondered as I remembered her worried eyes as we all got ready to leave the camp form what seemed to be forever ago. I was looking at an entirely different person, not the slightest bit of Ana was left behind in the walker she'd become. The tears had begun to fall as I had gotten the truck to start. Quickly, I put it into gear and ran the two wanderers over. Ana tried to stand back up as others had started for the truck; I took off down the road without laying my friend to rest. _

When I fluttered my eyes open Mason was sitting there concerned. I sat up and rubbed my eyes and begun to braid my hair into a fish tail. I felt like I hadn't slept at all but that was a feeling I had grown used to.

"How long have you been sitting there?"

"An hour or so," Mason replied, "Your night terrors are acting up, when we get back I'll talk to Dr. Stevens see if she has any medications…

"I don't want them," I interrupted.

"Pey…"

"We need to get ready to go." I got off the bed and started to get my things.

The woods were thick. We'd come off several of walkers that Mason Insisted I was too weak to fight, but I had proved him wrong when I had taken down a couple. He'd given me my machete back. He carried an Ar-15, but that was only to be used in case of an emergency. Mason also carried a long gated knife that he called a Bolo knife.

"We should get back it been hours and we've found nothing." Mason said as we reached the crest of the woods. He stopped me as I begun to step foot on the beaten driveway. The house was fairly large; I could see it through the trees.

"I'm not ready to go back." I snapped pulling from his grip and hastily making my way up the driveway. Just then a female walker started for me letting out a loud hungry groan, her decayed gums chomped, just as her neck met my blade and with just one swing her head was off and falling to the ground with a wet GLUMP. I hurried up to the house before I was grabbed by the arm, I swung my blade at another walker but it took a couple times before I had gotten out of his grip.

Mason had caught up to me and nearly through me into the house and slammed the door. He was sweating and covered in the nasty flesh of the dead. "You reek." I muttered practically gaging at the awful odor.

"There are tons of them out there," He said glancing out the window, "The door was open, we should check and see if any got inside." He locked the door and pushed the couch in front of it. He then hurried to the back door, which I heard him close.

I glanced around the room, empty cans of dog food were scattered across the floor. Someone was here before us. I wandered around a little more and something had caught my eye in the hallway, a teddy bear was lying on the floor, I picked it up and my heart fell. I knew it was Lily's because of my terrible stitch job on the arm. I held it to me and wanted to cry. They were here, they had to of been.

Suddenly, with one swift tug of my braid I was tugged toward the half opened door behind me. I screeched and let go of the teddy bear as I tried to reach for my machete that I had tucked in my belt. Before I knew it Mason was there, but it wasn't the zombie that he had cut, it was my braid. My hair fell loosely to my shoulders as the walker dropped the rest of my braid on the floor. When I turned I realized the chain lock on the door, I must've gotten to close, just close enough for the walker to reach through the crack of the door. But who would put a chain on the outside of a bedroom door?

Mason looked at me and unlocked it, he stepped into the room and within no time was out and closing the door. I ran my fingers through my now shoulder length hair and frowned.

"It'll grow back."

"That's weird how they chain locked that door, like they were keeping him in there."

Mason looked at me from the corner of his eyes and frowned, "It doesn't matter, we got to find a way out."

"They were here," I smirked picking up Lily's teddy bear, "I stitched this; it has the same blue bow and everything."

I could almost see pity in Mason's eyes as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "We need to get out of here."

We took the back door because that was where the least amount of walkers there were, but the numbers still didn't fall much shorter. I shoved the teddy bear into a small backpack I had found in the house. As soon as we made it into the woods and back onto the same trail that we had come from, we had hardly slowed down. The adrenaline still pulsed through every part of my body.

When we had gotten back to Woodbury it was nearing sunset. Instantly a girl with dark hair had made her way over to Mason and whispered something in his ear.

"Go back to your room," He said, "I'll catch up with you later."

"What's going on?"

"There are just some new comers, just go rest." He said kissing the top of my head and then took off leaving me alone in the street. I rolled my eyes. Why would they need Mason for new comers, big whoop.

But I did as I was told and return to my small room. I took out the teddy bear as soon as I sat on my bed and frowned. Lily is probably missing this and It made me all the more eager to find her and return it to her. Although it was just a teddy bear that was left behind, it still gives me hope.


	3. Bloods Thicker Than Water

(Sorry everyone! Ive had writers block not only with this but with all my other projects.)

The next morning I was wandering around town in hope that I would find Mason. I couldn't wait another minute to get out and looking again. The streets were busy and after asking multiple people where he was and not getting the answer I was hoping for I decided to sit down on the bench. I was stressed, had a headache and was about ready to just take off over the gate myself. He didn't understand that every moment I spent sitting there was a moment wasted in my search. I wasn't going to keep sitting around, it honestly drove me stir crazy. I rubbed my eyes hoping that maybe with the right pressure the headache would disappear. When I opened my eyes I was in shock.

Andrea and two other women were walking down the street. I blinked, not sure if my mind was playing tricks on me or not. But it wasn't. I jumped up and sprinted over to her, the darker one, who was obviously not from Woodbury, looked tense.

"Andrea." I said getting her attention. She stared at me a moment, clearly in as much shock as I was. I had to be honest she was the last person I wanted to reunite with, but at that very second I didn't care I was just happy to see a familiar face. Her friend looked at her questionably.

"Well," Said the brunette who was holding a note book in her arms, "I'll leave you three to talk."

I didn't even acknowledge her; I was too busy racking up questions in my brain. But she beat me to it first.

"The others?"

My heart shattered for the millionth time in the past eight months, "I was hoping you had that answer…"

"You didn't leave with Shane?" She seemed surprised by this. For the first time I was hoping Andrea was following Shane's shadow like how she was at the farm, but I guess that whole thing went down the drain when he chose me.

"I couldn't find Isaac…" It's been awhile since I said his name aloud, "And when I did we took off in the woods, I haven't seen them since. I've been looking, I sent Lily with Shane."

"And Isaac?"

My eyes adverted to the ground, I refused to say it, but I could tell just by the look on her face that she understood. I shifted uncomfortably.

"Michonne this is Peyton, she was with my group at the farm."

Michonne just gave one slight nod before her gaze was drawn instantly to the approaching governor and Mason.

"Glad to see you're making friends," Mason said and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Andrea's eyebrows rose up and I suddenly felt sick on my stomach.

"This is my brother Mason," I introduced him even though I was pretty sure that they had already met. Andrea opened up her mouth to say something, my heart fell into my stomach and I was praying to the good lord, if there was one, to not say anything about Brent. But she was interrupted by the governor.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow these two."

Mason nodded without any questions asked and we started down the street, "See you around." I muttered though it wasn't a definite.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, she was in the group I was with before the farm got overrun." I muttered, "We didn't really get along."

"You seem to be getting along now."

"I was only trying to see if she knew where the rest of them were."

"From what I hear her story is pretty much the same as yours."

I nodded. "Well I'm ready to go out looking."

Mason stopped, which automatically brought me to an unwanted stop. I could tell just by the look on his face that he was going to say something I didn't want to hear. It was seriously getting old.

"I'll just go by myself; it's obvious you don't want to go. Give me back my machete and I'll leave."

"No, you're going to stay here."

"That sounds like a demand."

"Well it sure in hell wasn't a question," Mason replied sharply, "Look, your my little sister, therefore I'm responsible for you."

"Mason, I'm a grown adult."

"Who is making a very idiotic decision,"

"You're being extremely selfish right now. Either your behind me on this or not."

He glared at me for a moment, and I instantly took that as he wasn't behind me on any of it and never was. So I turned on the balls of my heels and headed for my bedroom.

I stood at the gate later that afternoon. It was a huge hassle at first to get them to open the doors and then to my surprise Mason had instructed them to do so. He was carrying a gun and a back pack. I stopped and was completely puzzled. He started in front of me giving me the meanest glare, but I couldn't help but smirk. Mason wasn't going to let this go for a long time, but he was always over protective of his family. I thought he would have stuck with the safer rout by staying at Woodbury, I couldn't be more wrong. Blood was truly thicker than water.

Momentarily, I glanced back as the gates were closing. The governor stood on the other side, I couldn't see the look on his face but I couldn't imagine that he was happy about my brother leaving. I wondered if they were close and just how long had Mason been running with them. I'd know, all within time.


	4. Weight Lifted

**(Once again caught up in work! I miss this story. 3 But Ill be on here more often due to my cut hours, so I'll be bored, broke and free. ahahaha! Hope you enjoy!)**

The search started off as a bore. It was silent the whole time, and the only time I could catch so much as a murmur from Mason was when he was instructing me to do something. I stood on guard of the SUV he was working on hot wiring.

I thought back to old times when everything he did was in some way, shape or form, teaching me something. Instructing people is what he loved but he was never so harsh and…well dramatic to say the least.

"I don't remember you being this bossy."

Mason didn't say anything he just looked at me briefly threw his peripheral. I wasn't going to take that for an answer,

"You got to say something."

"Get in."

"No," I snapped.

He seemed a bit puzzled by this but I wasn't going a minute longer dealing with the petty bullshit he was giving me. I didn't demand that he follow me, it was his own choice and I was going to make that loud and clear. "I'm not going anywhere with you acting like there is a brick wall between us, If you want to be in Woodbury then go!"

There was a moment of silence and I shifted my weight a couple of times before he looked up from his black leather work boots. "Peyton," He sighed, "Just get in the car and we'll talk about this later."

We didn't talk about it that night. In fact as soon as I got into the silver Subaru, we went back to the same unbearable silence that I feared. It was then I realized that Mason wasn't doing this for my well-being, he was doing it for himself, and he really felt the need to protect me as I did with Isaac and Lily. I could understand and appreciate that, but it really made me realize how much this world had changed my brother and how easily he had adapted to it, he changed from a selfless and sometimes naive guy, to a selfish robot who only thinks of one thing, survival. As many, he had lost what it was meant to feel any other emotion

We drove through town after town. We searched buildings and made camps. But it was one night, tucked in an old apartment that I had finally sucked up my pride and started asking questions, "Who did you travel with down here?"

My brother looked up at me, the moonlight was glowing on his tired warn face.

"Myself for a while and then I met up with the governor and a few of his friends." It was a point blank answer.

"How'd you end up in Woodbury? Was there an original governor? Or did he make up the town?"

"It doesn't matter now. What's your new fascination with The Governor?"

I was stumped for a moment. I didn't want to talk about the governor and how I felt he was a little odd, I didn't really have a reason to think so, it was just a gut feeling and I was always taught to follow my gut. So I diverted the question to something else.

"Is he mad that you left?"

Mason shrugged, "Don't worry about it, we'll be going back."

"When we find Lily and Shane…"

He sighed seeming frustrated, "If we don't find them in a week then we're going back."

I glared at him for a moment before turning away from him on the warn-out floral sofa. I wasn't going back and that was final, and there was many times that night that I had debated on leaving my brother behind. But I remembered what it felt like to be alone, to feel as though everybody was gone and all that remained were walkers and a few marauders.

XXXX

The Subaru ran out of gas and came to halting stop on a side road only minutes from a sickly busy street. I glanced at my brother whose eyes flickered a state of panic for a moment. I could see he was racking his brain of a possible solution.

"Stay here."

I opened my mouth in protest, my heart was beating rapidly. I knew he wasn't going to take no for answer but a wash of separation anxiety washed over me. "No Mason—"

"Peyton, trust me. Everything's going to be fine," Mason interrupted me as he handed me a gun. It was then a walker had banged on the back window. My brothers eyes met mine once more before jumping out of the SUV and stabbing the old rotted women smack dab in the middle of the forehead. His hunting knife was pulled out of her head abruptly, and she fell to the ground with a loud glump.

I watched him slowly make his way down a small alley a few feet from the vehicle. When he disappeared around the corner I noticed a curtain move in one of the windows above. I looked closer and I could see someone peering down at the SUV. When the curtain covered the whole window, I cautiously got out of the Subaru and made my way, by hopping over slaughtered walker after walker, into the alley where my brother was.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"I saw someone in one of the windows, it wasn't a walker."

I pulled myself up onto the dumpster and pulled down the fire escape ladder, which took all my weight to do. I started to climb up when Mason had grabbed me by the belt of my pants and pulled me down with brute force.

"Are fucking crazy?! You don't know if that's him!"

"I'm going to find out one way or another."

"That place could be filled with-"

A groan came from the end of the alley, and then another, until the two groans had turned into an army of groans and before I knew it I was being pushed up the ladder until both Mason and I were on a metal platform. He pulled up the ladder and looked down. The alley was filled with walkers, clawing and practically screaming for a bite of our flesh.

"Looks like we don't have a choice but to go in," I said smartly.

"Just go," My brother snapped.

We made our way through a busted window and as soon as I stepped foot on the carpet of what looked to be some elderly ladies apartment I prepared myself for a fight, but there was nothing but dusty furniture. I made my way to the front door and cracked it open with my gun ready. When nothing charged at me I poked my head around the corner. There were three walkers to the right end of the hall feasting on what looked to be some sort of animal, on the left side was one walker lying lifelessly on the tile floor.

I held up three fingers to Mason and then pointed to the right. He took out his knife and it was then I realized I left my machete in the SUV; I rolled my eyes, what was wrong with me? Normally that thing wouldn't leave my side and I had learned from Rick and the others that guns were to be used for emergency purposes only.

"We'll take the stairs on the left side," I whispered and then slowly made my way out the door and as quietly as I could toward the stairway door.

Just before reaching for the door knob I felt a grip on my ankle, startled I a let out a low squeal and then stomped on the end of the crippled walker, whom I thought was dead. I looked up at the three charging walkers, Mason had gotten the closest one in the eye socket but the other two were far enough away for us to make it around the other side of the door. Pressing me against the door and himself, he got his gun ready for whatever was in the stairway. But when he had put his arm down I knew we were safe, except for the two trying to get through the door.

"It's a floor up," I stated and started up the stairs. In the meantime Mason would crack the door and plunge his knife at the walkers trying to get through.

When I made it to the next door I peeked through the small window to see if there were any walkers. But there wasn't and I didn't waste any time opening the door. It was half way down the hall that the very last door had swung open and the end of a gun was pointed my way. My heart had a made its way up my throat and every muscle in my body had tensed and remained even as the man staring back at me lowered his gun.

"Shane," I could hardly get it out as I practically ran into his arms. I absorbed his warmth, his smell, and it felt like a dream until he pulled us apart to look me in the eyes, as if he too couldn't believe that it was me standing there in his embrace.

"Peyton?" a small voice came from the open door behind him.

"Lily?!" I was crying now and they were full blown tears.

I could see the shock in her tired blue eyes as she made her way into my arms. I balled as I picked her up and held her frail body in my arms, and though my heart ached that Isaac wasn't there to share that moment with me, I felt as though a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders.


	5. Escape

Mason came over wreaking something fierce; "Hate to break up the reunion but we need to get the hell out of here."

So many questions hung on the end of my tongue but they had to wait, and by the sound of glass shattering and heavy steps from below I didn't even think twice about saving them for later. I looked frantically at Shane, I could tell that he didn't want this moment to end either but the choice wasn't ours.

I didn't want to let Lily down but my arms were not as strong as they were months ago. "Hun you got to get down just for now." I told her as she continued to cling to my neck.

"There's a SUV in the back parking lot that I hotwired last night," Shane stated.

"There's no way to get down there," I muttered, "They're swarmed around the fire escape outside."

My heart beat began to pick up rapidly as I could feel them getting closer. We all racked our brains for a way out and then it came to me. An elevator sat a few feet away from us, the buttons still glowing. There must be a generator or something keeping it going. I walked over to it, Lily glued to my arm. Mason and Shane stared at me as if I was the most idiotic person alive, the looks faded when I explained my plan, quickly. "Most elevators have a fire escape," I stated, "By the looks of it this one is still up and running. If we put something loud in it and send it to the ground floor they'll all go towards the sound. In the meantime we can take the fire escape to the second floor and jump out the window and make a run for the SUV. It's a shot in the dark but the only one we got at this rate."

"I think I might have seen something in the apartment that we could use," Shane hurried into the apartment that he and Lily stayed in, while Mason stood by the stairwell door.

When Shane returned he had a silver battery powered CD player, he popped a disc in it as I pushed the down button to the elevator. When the doors opened and awful stench was released into the air, the smell of rotting flesh. I gagged while Shane blared some old country tune and threw the CD player in there. The doors closed and I could hear the loud screeching sound of the elevator moving.

"It's working." Mason stated as he ran over and began to pry the elevator door open. It opened up to a pitch black abyss. The music blared up the elevator shaft as well as the loud banging sounds of the dead piling into the elevator. I prayed that they didn't accidently push any buttons in their hungry rage.

Lily hung onto Shane's back on our way down so that her little legs wouldn't slow us down and even in the dark I could tell she was clinking for dear life because of her fear of heights. All I could think of was the elevator coming up and squishing us all like bugs, I even began to believe that my idea was terrible.

When we got to the roof of the elevator the boys once again started to pry the door open. The think boards between us and the walkers shook. In fact I think the whole elevator was shaking. As soon as we saw a lick of day light a hand had reached up from the ceiling of the elevator and latched its self onto my leg. I felt a short burning sensation and then Lily's foot came down on its hand and it let go. Shane waited for me at the door while Mason checked the nearest apartment. I made Lily get out first and then with one short hop I was out of the elevator myself.

A walker was pulling itself into the elevator shaft, but before it had the chance to get completely free from the boards and other hands reaching, we had hurried into the apartment and locked the door. Mason was standing at the window, his knife out and ready, leaving me to believe that the alley was not clear.

I was right. There were only five walkers aimlessly wandering the alley a few feet below us. Pounding came from the other side of the door. A few must've made it out of the elevator shaft.

"I don't have my machete," I admitted ashamed with myself once again.

"Shane and I will take care of it, stay here," Mason demanded.

"Will the door hold that long? We should all go down together."

"I said stay here and stay close to the window. "

"Shane," I looked at him for some sort of support and it was easy to tell that Mason didn't like it. Shane took my face in his hands; in the meantime Mason pushed the couch in front of the door as though that would make a difference.

"Just stay close to the window," He said and kissed me quickly on the lips. He then followed shortly behind Mason. It was a steep jump so both Mason and Shane landed in a crouched position but instantly shot back up on their feet. I could tell the jump did a number on Shane's bad leg because he limped a little afterward.

The two took down the walkers and then quickly returned to the window. I made Lily get out first, she initially reached for Shane, however Mason had longer arms and made it to her first. Just as they were about to help me out the window I was grabbed from behind. Mason pulled me from the walkers grip by my legs and as he pulled down with brute force I could feel my shoulder popping out of place. I screamed as both the walker and I crash landed on the cement. Before I had time to realize what had exactly happened Shane had stabbed the Walker right through the back of the head. Mason threw its body off of me and pulled me to my feet. Without any hesitation we made a run for it to the end of the alley.

The parking lot was clear except for maybe two or three walkers, but none that would jeopardize us getting to the vehicle. So again we made a run for it, as more and more walkers filled the alley way behind us, longing for a piece of our flesh. Lily and I got in the back seat, Mason and Shane got in the front.

"There's only a half a tank but that should get us to safety," Mason stated as he hotwired the SUV and kicked it into drive.

I groaned holding onto my arm, it hurt so unbelievably bad. "My shoulder is dislocated," I muttered trying my hardest not to cry.

Lily's face was plastered to the window as the crowd behind us disappeared.


End file.
